With this post I announce my goals for the fourth round in 2012 of A Round of Words in 80 Days, which is a writing challenge that “knows you have a life.” Click here to read more about it from the creator of the challenge, Kait Nolan.
Round 3 was a tough one for a lot of people, including me. I’m not sure why it was difficult for me, because not that much changed from Round 2 to Round 3. *shrugs shoulders* However, excelsior!
I am going to retain the breakout of goals I did last round, which were writing, community, exercise, and family/friends. This round I am going to include the writing I need to do for the day job, because it impacts my writing in both positive and negative ways.
Writing:
Fiction:
- I will create an outline of the entire novel, spending at least 7 hours a week in whatever configuration works for that week.
Non-Fiction:
- I’m starting a blogging course on October 8th, and will keep up with the assignments.
- I will be doing research the week of October 1-5, which I will turn into a first draft of an article, spending at least 4 hours a week from October 8th on, in whatever configuration.
Community:
- As a sponsor, I will visit my assigned blogs twice a week.
- I will reply to all comments on my blogs.
- I will spend no more than 5 hours a week on social media. I will assess which platforms work for me, and which ones do not.
Exercise:
- I got stress fractures in two metatarsals by walking, so I will walk for only twenty minutes an evening.
- I will continue to use the stairs.
- Starting October 8th, I will investigate low impact exercise, choosing one by week’s end.
Personal:
- I will set aside a half-hour every evening to read.
- I will spend at least one hour a week contacting a friend by whatever means work best.
- I will have a “date night” with my husband at least twice a month.
- I will spend at least one hour a week with at least one of my kids.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell 
Hey Elizabeth. Nice to see you. The 3rd round was a total fail for me as well. I just don’t know why. Anyway, getting back up on the horse. Love that your goals include date night with your hubby. Sounds like a good idea. Sorry to hear about the stress fractures. Owie! Have fun with your blogging course. My post will be up tomorrow sometime.
Good to see you too, Robin. I heard from so many people who had trouble in Round 3, and few can point to any particular reason. I’m getting back on the horse, too. Date night gets forgotten so easily, and our sons are certainly old enough (19 and 20!) to fend for themselves one evening.
And yeah, the stress fractures are a pain (literally, LOL). I’ll look for your goals post tomorrow.
I don’t think many had a great round 3, but many are re-thinking and re-evaluating their goals in light of it – which is pretty good. You have some great goals here. A nice balance. Interesting to see what you learn from the blogging course, too X
Thanks, Shah. I really need to work on a balance, so I hope the goals will help. I think the blogging course will be a lot of work, but worth it.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful round! x
Sounds like some great goals! Everyone is including a lot of cool non-writing stuff. It didn’t even occur to me to do that! Good luck on these!
Thanks for coming by and commenting, Sidney. This is my sixth round, so I have discovered that a work/life balance is what I need to pursue.
You can always tweak your goals to add a few non-writing ones, if you want. I hope you have a great round.
So sorry to hear about the stress fractures, Elizabeth! I hope it gets better soon. My mom’s knee has been inflamed the last few weeks, so we’ve really had to take it easy on our walks.
Your goals look great for this round–well-ROWnded (I couldn’t resist, sorry) and balanced. I like how you’re keeping things fairly open-ended, too. Contacting people “by whatever means works best” and the like is a great way to make sure that you stay on track without boxing yourself in too much.
Hope you’re having a great week, my friend!
Thanks for coming by, Lena, my friend! I don’t envy your poor mother her inflamed knee–owie!
I appreciate the encouragement about the open-ended goals. I found that I sabotaged myself if I didn’t get things done as I had prescribed, when it really didn’t matter how I did them, just that I did them. The same with the time counts. We’ll see how it goes.
I’m looking forward to watching you burn through your goals, including NaNo, from the sidelines, but I’ll have pom-poms waving!
I like your breakdown. It’s great how well-rounded your list is. Best of luck!
Thanks, Kim. I hope to find some work/life balance this Round. I appreciate the good wishes and hope you have a great week!
Round 3 really was a hard one! I accomplished a lot, but it also nearly killed me, and the places where I failed, I failed large lol! Your goals look great for this round. Good luck with all of them and hope the stress fractures get better soon!
Yeah, Lauren, I’m glad to see last Round in the rear-view mirror! Thanks for the good wishes, and I hope you have a great week!
Great goals, Elizabeth! Good luck with all of them. Sorry about your stress fractures. I hope they heal fast!
Thank you, Lauralynn! I’m really looking forward to this Round, and am hoping to find some balance. The stress fractures are a pain, but I’m trying not to let them get me down too much.
I hope you have a lovely week!
I love that you have simplified, and that you have so many open-ended goes. It feels liberating…
I am so sorry I never got around to meeting up….I was feeling sort of like I needed to cocoon for a while.
I’d love to help you meet one of those weekly goals….and mine to honor myself . Let’s do that bookstore thing, at your convenience.
I hope your toes heal quickly. Sore toes just aren’t fun.
I’m excited to see where you will take yourself, this round! =D
Thanks, Shan. The open-ended goals do feel very liberating. I’d love to get together at the bookstore; I’m going to clear some time soon for that!
I think this may be a very good Round–for both of us! 🙂
Elizabeth – We will be in New Jersey 10/30 through the 3rd or 4th, I think.
The kids are up for the bookstore almost anytime, unless they are particularly nocturnal….
So we’ll wait to hear when you are free.
And so far, it has been a wonderful, productive round for me! As I hope it continues to be for you! =D
Shan, life continues to be hectic around here, but I really do want to get together! I’ll let you know! 🙂
Good luck on your goals this round! I really like the “no more than 5 hours of social media” — maybe I’ll steal it! Platform, shmatform — it’s such a huge timesink!
Thanks for stopping by, Ruth. I blush at how long it’s taken me to respond to comments–it’s been crazy already!
Feel free to steal the no more than 5 hours idea. It is a huge timesink–I don’t know if it’s worse when one is established (like you) or just a babe in the woods, like me!
Great goals! Round 3 was indeed difficult for many of us, however, the past is the past and Round 4 will give us a chance to close out the year on a high note. Great to see you as a sponsor, I know you’ll do a fantastic job. Have an excellent round, Elizabeth 🙂
Thanks for the point that I should be looking ahead, Gene. And I appreciate the compliment about sponsoring–I do enjoy it. I have no doubt that you will have a great Round, too, Gene!
Love your goals, and the flexibility of seven hours however it adds up. Round 3 was difficult for me, too, so I’m trying to flexible but productive this round. Let’s hope we rock the words for the remainder of 2012. I’m cheering for you, as always!
And I’m cheering for you, too, Tia! I feel this Round will be much better for many of us. We will rock the words, indeed!